Wiper for a liquid or pasty product applicator

ABSTRACT

A wiper for an applicator of a liquid or pasty product, including an attaching part configured to attach the wiper to the opening of a container able to contain the product, and a tubular wiping sleeve connected to the attaching part, in which the wiping sleeve is more flexible than the attaching part, and the end of the wiping sleeve opposite the attaching part forms an annular lip, the lip defining an orifice chamfered with respect to a direction of withdrawal (X) of the applicator through the wiper.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates to an assembly for applying a liquid or pasty product, and more particularly a wiper for an applicator of a liquid or pasty product. Such a wiper can be used in particular in the field of cosmetics.

PRIOR ART

To apply a liquid or pasty product, for example in the field of make-up or cosmetics, it is known to use various applicators, suitable for products to be applied to the body or face. Conventionally, most of these applicators comprise an applying member mounted on the end of a stem. The applying member is inserted into a container containing the cosmetic to impregnate it therewith, then withdrawn from the container to continue to the application in the strict sense. To remove from the applying member any excess product sticking thereto, provision is generally made for a wiper on the neck of the container. For example, the international application WO 2016/156742 A1 of the Applicant describes a wiping device particularly suitable for a mascara brush, which makes it possible to distribute the mascara on the brush and push back the excess mascara on the brush toward the container.

Although such a device is satisfactory, other categories of wiper may be more suitable for other products or other applicators. Specifically, according to the type and viscosity of the product to be applied and the shape of the applying member, a droplet may remain at the end of the applying member despite the action of the wiper. Such a droplet may cause an esthetically displeasing clump on the part of the body to be made up, or even fall from the applicator before it can be deposited, which is dirtying. There is therefore a need for a new type of wiper.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

For this purpose, this disclosure relates to a wiper for an applicator of a liquid or pasty product, comprising an attaching part configured to attach the wiper to the opening of a container able to contain said product, and a tubular wiping sleeve connected to the attaching part, in which the wiping sleeve is more flexible than the attaching part, and the end of the wiping sleeve opposite the attaching part forms an annular lip, chamfered with respect to a direction of withdrawal of the applicator through the wiper.

The attaching part is configured to attach the wiper at the opening of a container. It will be understood that this is the opening through which the applicator can be inserted into and withdrawn from the container to impregnate it with the product contained in the container. The wiper can be attached to the container such that any withdrawal of the applicator through the opening makes the applicator also pass through the wiper.

Furthermore, the shape of the wiper, particularly the tubular shape of the wiping sleeve, constricts the way in which the applicator passes through the wiper. Consequently, the shape of the wiper intrinsically defines a direction of insertion and withdrawal of the applicator through the wiper, especially given the conventional shapes and dimensions of applicators. The direction of insertion and the direction of withdrawal being generally colinear, the terms will subsequently be used interchangeably, unless otherwise specified explicitly or in view of the context. For example, the direction of withdrawal may substantially correspond to the axis of the wiper, or even the axis of the wiping sleeve, the geometry of the wiper and the conventional configuration of an applicator allowing at most a limited travel about this axis.

The term “sleeve” is understood to mean a tubular element. By opposition to a washer, a sleeve has its dimension along the axis of the tube greater than its thickness transverse to said axis. For example, the dimension of the wiping sleeve along its axis may be between 5 mm (millimeters) and 20 mm. For example, the thickness of the wiping sleeve transverse to its axis may be between 0.3 mm and 2 mm.

The lip, formed at one end of the wiping sleeve, defines an orifice for the passing of the applicator though the wiper. The orifice being a chamfer, it is inclined with respect to a plane orthogonal to the direction of withdrawal, and/or with respect to a plane orthogonal to the axis of the wiper, or even the axis of the sleeve. For the sake of simplification, the term “chamfered lip” will subsequently be used.

In the wiper described above, the flexibility of the wiping sleeve and the lip provided with a chamfer interact to improve the wiping of the applicator: owing to the chamfered shape of the lip, during the passing of the applicator through the wiping sleeve along the direction of withdrawal, the distal part of the lip, in response to the deformation of the whole wiping sleeve, is displaced to scrape the end of the applicator and remove any droplet of product that might otherwise remain on the applicator. Furthermore, owing to its flexibility, the wiping sleeve can deform or adapt as well as possible to the shape of the applicator to be wiped. According to one possible operation, on the passing of the applicator, the wiping sleeve may deform by curving back into itself, which makes it possible to follow the shape of the applicator as close as possible and to reject the excess product toward the inside of the container; this particular type of deformation is sometimes known as the “sock effect”.

At the same time, owing to the fact that the attaching part has less flexibility than the wiping sleeve, the attachment of the wiper on the container can be effectively maintained upon the passing of the applicator through the wiper.

In some embodiments, the wiping sleeve comprises a frustoconical part tapering in the direction of the lip, the lip being defined by the end of the frustoconical part. For example, the frustoconical part can be defined by a cone having an angle at the tip between 40° and 140°, or even 45° and 120°. The axis of the cone may be inclined with respect to the axis of the wiper, which makes it possible to precisely define the position and orientation of the orifice. The presence of a frustoconical part increases the capacity of the wiping sleeve to deform on itself to obtain the sock effect. Furthermore, the inclined wall of the wiping sleeve favors the draining of the excess product, wiped off by the wiper, toward the container.

In some embodiments, the lip defines, in cross-section, a convex orifice. A convex orifice is such that for any two points belonging to the orifice, the straight-line segment linking these two points is entirely contained in the orifice. This facilitates the deformation of the lip and allows it to better scrape the applicator. For example the orifice can be of circular or elliptical shape.

In some embodiments, the wiping sleeve comprises a wall adjacent to the lip, the thickness of the wall being less than 0.7 mm, preferably less than 0.5 mm. Optionally, the thickness of the wall may be greater than 0.1 mm, preferably 0.3 mm. Thus, the wall and the lip can deform easily.

In some embodiments, said wall, independently of its thickness, has a hardness between 30 and 60 Shore A.

In some embodiments, the lip is contained in a plane forming an angle between 10° and 80°, preferably between 20° and 70°, preferably between 30° and 60°, preferably approximately 45° with the direction of withdrawal.

In some embodiments, the attaching part is made of a first material and the wiping sleeve is made of a second material having a lesser hardness and/or stiffness than that of the first material. This further facilitates the deformation of the wiping sleeve and prevents damage to the applicator. The hardness can be measured on the Shore or Vickers scale. The stiffness can be measured using the Young modulus.

In some embodiments, the greatest length of the wiping sleeve (more particularly the length of the aforementioned frustoconical part, excluding an portion fastening the wiping sleeve to the attaching part) in the direction of withdrawal is greater than the widest inner radius of the wiping sleeve transverse to said direction. Owing to these features, by deforming, the wiping sleeve can reach all the way to the most central parts of the applicator, which increases the effectiveness of the wiping.

In some embodiments, the orifice defined by the lip has a diameter between 2 and 8 mm, preferably between 3 and 7 mm, still preferably between 4 and 6 mm, preferably approximately 5 mm. This dimension is preferably measured in the plane of the orifice, the orifice being flat or essentially flat. When the orifice is not circular but of any shape, for example elliptical or oval, the diameter of the orifice denotes any dimension of the orifice, for example its greatest dimension and/or its smallest dimension, or any dimension of the orifice.

This disclosure also relates to an assembly for applying a liquid or pasty product comprising a container having an opening, an applicator having a stem provided with an applying member and a wiper as defined previously, attached to the opening of the container. Preferably, the wiper is attached to the container such that the wiping sleeve is more inside the container than the attaching part. This makes it possible to better conserve the product inside the container.

In some embodiments, the smallest inner diameter of the wiping sleeve transverse to the direction of withdrawal is less than a diameter of a cross-section of the stem. Thus, when the stem is in the orifice, the wiping sleeve has at least one part tightened onto the stem, able to scrape the product along the stem. The smallest inner diameter of the wiping sleeve transverse to the direction of withdrawal can be reached at the level of the lip or of a part of the wiping sleeve distant from the lip, according to the shape of the wiping sleeve.

In some embodiments, the applying member is off-center with respect to an axis of the stem, or the orifice is off-center with respect to the direction of withdrawal. The axis of the stem generally corresponds to the direction of withdrawal. When the orifice of the wiper is centered with respect to the direction of withdrawal, the fact that the applying member is off-center makes it possible to make the applying member cooperate more closely with one side of the wiping sleeve and in particular the lip. This cases a greater deformation of the wiping sleeve upon the passing of the applicator and, consequently, increases the effectiveness of the wiper. This cooperation can also be obtained when the orifice of the wiper is off-center with respect to the direction of withdrawal, in which case the applying member may be along the axis of the stem.

In some embodiments, the applying member has a concave part in its cross-section. Said concave part can serve as a reserve of product. Specifically, the lip of the wiper, deformed and taut about the applying member, does not enter into the concave part forming the reserve, which can therefore conserve surplus product. The surplus of product can be delivered to the applying member gradually as the applicator is used, which avoids recharging the applicator too often.

In some embodiments, the applicator has at least one dimension greater than the stem transverse to the stem. The wiping of the applying member is therefore done even more closely than the wiping of the stem. Furthermore, the applying member is liable to cause a deformation by sock effect of the wiping sleeve even if the stem does not cause such a deformation. This results in better wiping.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention and its advantages will be better understood on reading the following detailed description, of embodiments given by way of non-limiting example. This description refers to the appended drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a wiper according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the wiper of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section view along the plane III-III of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the wiper of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 illustrates the wiper of FIG. 3 mounted on a container and cooperating with an applicator according to an embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the applicator of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a view of the applicator in perspective and in section along the plane VII-VII of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

A wiper according to an embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. Unless explicitly stated otherwise explicitly or in view of the context, in the assembly of this disclosure, the wiper 10 is described at rest, i.e. in the absence of any forces incurring deformations perceptible to the naked eye.

FIG. 1 shows, in perspective, a wiper 10 configured to wipe an applicator of a liquid or pasty product. As illustrated, the wiper 10 has a generally tubular, or even annular, shape about an axis X. The axis X of the wiper 10 defines an axial direction, which is also a direction of withdrawal of the applicator through the wiper 10. A radial direction is a direction perpendicular to this axis X and cutting this axis X. Similarly, an axial plane is a plane containing the axis X of the wiper and a radial plane is a plane perpendicular to this axis X. A circumference extends as a circle belonging to a radial plane and the center of which belongs to the axis X of the wiper. A tangential or circumferential direction is a direction tangent to a circumference; it is perpendicular to the axis X of the wiper but does not pass through the axis X.

Unless explicitly specified otherwise or departing from the scope, the adjectives “inner” and “outer” are used with reference to a radial direction such that the inner part of an element is, along a radial direction, closer to the axis X of the wiper than the outer part of the same element.

As indicated previously, the wiper 10 comprises an attaching part 20 and a wiping sleeve 30.

In this embodiment, the attaching part comprises a body 28. The body 28 is annular about the axis X, substantially cylindrical, here, with revolution symmetry.

In this embodiment, the attaching part 20 comprises a flange 22, here radially protruding outwards, typically at the axial end of the body 28 opposite the wiping sleeve 30. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the flange 22 forms an axial stop for the engagement of the attaching part 20 in the opening 56 of the container 50. The flange 22 can be annular.

The attaching part 20 also comprises, in this embodiment, a seam 24 radially projecting outside the body 28, in a portion of the body 28 located between the wiping sleeve 30 and the flange 22. As illustrated in FIG. 5, the seam 24 is intended to cooperate with the neck 54 of the container 50, for example by tightening or latching, in order to hold the attaching part 20 in the neck 54 of the container 50.

Thus, it will be more generally understood that the attaching part 20 is configured to attach the wiper 10 to the opening 56 of the container 50. In this case, the attaching part cooperates with the edges of the opening 56, here the neck 54, to keep the wiper 10 housed inside the opening 56, here in the neck 54, at least over most of it or, as illustrated, all of it. By doing this, when the applicator 60 is inserted or withdrawn through the opening 56, it also passes through the wiper 10.

The attaching part 20 could take another form than that previously described, for example it may take the form of one or more attaching lugs.

The wiping sleeve 30 is connected to the attaching part 20, here at the axial end of the attaching part 20 opposite the flange 22.

In this embodiment, the wiping sleeve 30 comprises a fastening portion 32. The fastening portion 32 is annular about the axis X, substantially with revolution symmetry.

In this embodiment, the fastening portion 32 is extended by a substantially frustoconical wall 34, here about the axis X. The wall 34 may be solid, in the sense that it does not comprise any radial opening. The wall 34 may be tapered in the axial direction, from the fastening portion 32 all the way to the end opposite the wall 34 forming a lip 38. The lip 38 is therefore located at the end of the wiping sleeve 30 opposite the attaching part 20. The lip 38 is annular and extends continuously about the axis X. The lip 38 thus defines an orifice 40 for the passing of the applicator. Thus, as previously indicated, the wiping sleeve 30 is tubular. In this case, the axis of the wiping sleeve 30 is colinear with the axis X of the wiper 10.

As previously indicated, the orifice 40 is chamfered with respect to a direction of withdrawal of the applicator through the wiper 10. In this case, the direction of withdrawal being colinear with the axis X of the wiper 10, the lip 38 and the orifice 40 are inclined with respect to a plane orthogonal to the axis X of the wiper, as is clearly obvious from FIG. 3. The lip 38 may be contained in a plane, as in this embodiment, or substantially contained in a plane, then called the median plane. Typically, the direction of withdrawal C and the plane of the lip 38 or, where applicable, its median plane, form between them an angle A different from 90°, preferably also different from 0°, for example between 10° and 80°, for example, as illustrated, approximately 45°.

The lip 38 being chamfered, it has a proximal end 38 a, which is the part of the lip 38 the closest to the attaching part 20, and a distal end 38 b, which is the part of the lip 38 the furthest from the attaching part 20.

The orifice 40 may be circular in the plane to which it belongs. For example, the orifice may be a disk of 5 mm in diameter. Due to its inclination, in a view transverse to the axis X, it then appears elliptical, as shown in FIG. 2. Conversely, the orifice 40 could be elliptical in its plane such that its orthogonal projection along the axis X is circular or not; in this embodiment, one would then see a circle from a similar view to that of FIG. 2. More generally, provision can be made for the orifice 40 to be convex. It is recalled that a convex shape is such that when any two points belong to this shape, the straight line segment connecting these two points also belongs to this shape.

The wall 34 can be dimensioned such that the greatest length L of the wiping sleeve 30, or even of the wall 34, in the direction of withdrawal X, is greater than the greatest inner radius R of the wiping sleeve 30 transversely to said direction X, as illustrated in FIG. 3. Thus, the distal end 38 b of the lip 38 can, by deforming inward, reach a relatively close part of the axis X, as will be described below.

It should moreover be noted that the wall 34 is thinned with respect to the fastening portion 32, which confers on the wall 34 a relatively high degree of flexibility to perform the wiping, and to the fastening portion 32 a relatively high stiffness to make a successful connection with the attaching part 20. For example, the wall 34 can be at least twice as thin, or even at least three times as thin, as the fastening portion 32. Moreover, the wall 34 here has a substantially constant thickness.

The fastening portion 32 and the wall 34 meet at a join 33. In this embodiment, the join 33 effects a continuous transition between the fastening portion 32 and the wall 34. The join 33 may define at least one of the following changes: change of shape of the wiping sleeve 30 (going from an overall cylindrical shape—of the fastening portion 32—to an overall frustoconical shape—of the wall 34); change of thickness of the wiping sleeve 30 (reduction by a factor of at least two of the thickness between the fastening portion 32 and the wall 34); change of flexibility of the wiping sleeve 30 (here essentially linked to the change of thickness).

As shown in FIG. 4, the attaching part 20 is, in this embodiment, a separate part from the wiping sleeve 30. In this case, the attaching part 20 is made of a first material and the wiping sleeve 30 is made of a second material having a lesser hardness and/or a stiffness than that of the first material. Thus, the wiping sleeve 30 is more flexible than the attaching part 20. For example, the attaching part 20 can be made of at least one of the following materials: low-density polyethylene, high-density polyethylene. Moreover, the wiping sleeve 30 can be made of an elastomer, typically a thermoplastic elastomer. The material of the wiping sleeve 30 can be chosen such that its hardness is between 30 and 60 Shore A.

The attaching part 20 and the wiping sleeve 30 may be connected to one another by any known suitable means, for example by assembly. Furthermore, the wiping sleeve 30 can be found in the extension of the attaching part 20. In this embodiment, the wiping sleeve 30 is first manufactured, then the attaching part 20 is overmolded on the wiping sleeve 30. The overmolding, known per se, makes a chemical bond between the attaching part 20 and the wiping sleeve 30. To further limit the risks of separation of the attaching part 20 of the wiping sleeve 30, provision may be made, independently of the preceding, for one or more mechanical engagements between the attaching part 20 and the wiping sleeve 30. As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the axial engagement is allowed here, by additional annular radial ribs, while the circumferential engagement is allowed, here, by the cooperation of dogs 36 of the wiping sleeve and apertures 26 corresponding to the attaching part 20. Note that the dogs 36 and the apertures 26 have a radial component and a circumferential component. However, it would be possible to make provision solely for one or the other. In order not to impede the function of wiping of the wall 34, provision should be made for the systems for engaging the wiping sleeve 30, namely the rib and the dogs 36, to be provided rather on the fastening portion 32.

However, according to another embodiment, the attaching part 20 and the wiping sleeve 30 could form two portions of one and the same part. The difference in flexibility between the attaching part 20 and the wiping sleeve 30 can then be obtained by differences in thickness or any other method identified as suitable by those skilled in the art.

FIG. 5 schematically illustrates, in section, an assembly for applying a liquid or pasty product comprising a container 50, an applicator 60 and the wiper 10 described previously. Here the container is a bottle and comprises a body 52 and a neck 54 defining an opening 56. More generally, any container having an opening can be used. As previously indicated, the wiper 10 is attached to the opening 56 of the container 50. More precisely, in this case, the wiper 10 is mounted inside the neck 54, the neck 54 then being housed at the stop in the shoulder formed between the body 28 of the attaching part 20 and the flange 22.

The applicator 60 comprises a stem 62 equipped with an applying member 64, here provided at one end of the stem 62. In this embodiment, the applying member 64 is, in side view, of the general shape of a drop of water, the tip of the drop being opposite the stem 62. However, other shapes can be selected by those skilled in the art. As can be seen in FIG. 6, the applying member 64 is furthermore off-center with respect to an axis Y of the stem. The composition of the applying member 64 can be provided to absorb the liquid or pasty product contained in the container 50; for example, the applying member 64 may comprise, at least in part, a porous material. Alternatively or additionally, the applying member 64 may be flocked.

The cooperation of the applicator 60 and the wiper 10 during a movement of withdrawal of the applicator 60 from the container 50 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 5 and 7.

In the initial position, the applicator 60 is inserted into the container 50, such that the wiper 10 cooperates with the stem 62. Particularly, provision can be made for the smallest inner diameter D of the wiping sleeve 30 transversely to the direction of withdrawal X to be less than a diameter of a cross-section of the stem 62. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the smallest inner diameter D here corresponds to the smallest diameter of the orifice 40, in projection parallel to the direction of withdrawal X. In this way, not only is the wiping sleeve 30 able to scrape the product remaining on the stem 62, but, in addition, the deformation of the wiping sleeve 30 about the stem 62 has the effect of centering the stem 62 with respect to the wiper 10, so that the direction of withdrawal X is colinear with the axis Y of the stem.

Gradually as the applicator 60 is withdrawn in the direction of withdrawal X, the lip 38 of the wiper 10 comes into contact with the applying member 64. In this embodiment, the applying member 64 has a transversal dimension greater than that of the stem 62, so of necessity greater than the smallest inner diameter D of the wiping sleeve. Thus the lip 38 can suitably scrape the applying member 64.

According to the relative orientation between the applying member 64 and the lip 38, the proximal end 38 a of the lip 38 can turn about itself toward the inside of the wiping sleeve 30, and/or the distal end 38 b of the lip 38 can turn about itself toward the inside of the wiping sleeve 30. The inner parts of the lip 38, between the proximal end 38 a and the distal end 38 b, take up a position in which they are more or less turned about themselves, as a function of the positions of the proximal end 38 a and of the distal end 38 b. Thus, different degrees of sock effect can be obtained. An example of deformation of the lip 38 and of the wiping sleeve 30 is schematically illustrated in FIG. 5.

When the distal end 66, or tip, of the applying member 64 arrives at the orifice 40, the cooperation between the wiping sleeve 30 and the applying member changes: the lip 38 being chamfered, it is the proximal end 38 a which is mainly in contact with the applying member 64. The deformation of the lip 38 at its proximal end 38 a drags, by distribution of the efforts along the lip 38, the distal end 38 b toward the proximal end 38 a. Thus, the distal end 38 b, taut, approaches the axis X of the wiper 10, which makes it capable of scraping the drop of product that may form at the end of the applying member 64. Thus, the applying member 64 is correctly wiped.

FIG. 7 shows that, as indicated previously, the applying member 64 may comprise, in cross-section, a concave part 68, here fashioned by the very shape of the applying member 64. As illustrated in FIG. 7, when the applying member 64 passes through the opening 40, the lip 38 deforms about the applicator. The lip 38, a section of which is schematically depicted by dotted lines on FIG. 7, is taut and therefore does not enter into the concave part 68. Thus, a reserve of product can be conserved within the applying member 64 itself.

Although this description refers to specific exemplary embodiments, modifications can be made to these examples without departing from the general scope of the invention as defined by the claims. In particular, individual features of the different embodiments illustrated/mentioned may be combined in additional embodiments. Consequently, the description and drawings must be considered in an illustrative sense rather than a restrictive one. 

1. A wiper for an applicator of a liquid or pasty product, comprising an attaching part configured to attach the wiper to an opening of a container able to contain said product, and a tubular wiping sleeve connected to the attaching part, in which the wiping sleeve is more flexible than the attaching part, and an end of the wiping sleeve opposite the attaching part forms an annular lip, the lip defining an orifice chamfered with respect to a direction of withdrawal of the applicator through the wiper.
 2. The wiper as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wiping sleeve comprises a frustoconical part tapering towards the lip, the lip being defined by the an end of the frustoconical part.
 3. The wiper as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wiping sleeve comprises a wall adjacent to the lip, a thickness of the wall being less than 0.7 mm.
 4. The wiper as claimed in claim 1, wherein the wiping sleeve comprises a wall adjacent to the lip said wall having a hardness between 30 and 60 Shore A.
 5. The wiper as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lip defines, in cross-section, a convex orifice.
 6. The wiper as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lip is contained in a plane forming an angle between 10° and 80° with the direction of withdrawal.
 7. The wiper as claimed in claim 1, wherein the attaching part is made of a first material and the wiping sleeve is made of a second material having a lesser hardness than that of the first material.
 8. The wiper as claimed in claim 2, wherein the greatest length of the frustoconical part of the wiping sleeve in the direction of withdrawal is greater than the widest inner radius of the wiping sleeve transversely to said direction.
 9. The wiper as claimed in claim 1, wherein the orifice defined by the lip has a diameter between 2 and 8 millimeters.
 10. An assembly for applying a liquid or pasty product comprising a container having an opening, an applicator having a stem provided with an applying member and a wiper as claimed in claim 1, attached to the opening of the container.
 11. The applying assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein the smallest inner diameter of the wiping sleeve transverse to the direction of withdrawal is less than a diameter of a cross-section of the stem.
 12. The applying assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein the applying member is off-center with respect to an axis of the stem, or the orifice is off-center with respect to the direction of withdrawal.
 13. The wiper as claimed in claim 3, wherein the thickness of the wall is between 0.3 and 0.5 mm.
 14. The applying assembly as claimed in claim 10, wherein the applying member has a concave part in its cross-section. 